FIG. 1 depicts an air-bearing surface (ABS) view of a conventional read transducer used in magnetic recording technology applications. The conventional read transducer 10 includes shields 12 and 18, insulator 14, magnetic bias structures 16, and sensor 20. The read sensor 20 is typically a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor or tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) sensor. The read sensor 20 includes an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer 22, a pinned layer 24, a nonmagnetic spacer layer 26, and a free layer 28. Also shown is a capping layer 30. In addition, seed layer(s) may be used. The free layer 28 has a magnetization sensitive to an external magnetic field. Thus, the free layer 28 functions as a sensor layer for the magnetoresistive sensor 20. If the sensor 20 is to be used in a current perpendicular to plane (CPP) configuration, then current is driven in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the layers 22, 24, 26, and 28. Conversely, in a current-in-plane (CIP) configuration, then conductive leads (not shown) would be provided on the magnetic bias structures 16. The magnetic bias structures 16 are used to magnetically bias the free layer 28.
Although the conventional transducer 10 functions, there are drawbacks. The trend in magnetic recording is to higher density memories. The conventional read sensor 20 may not adequately read high density media. As a result, dual free layer magnetic read sensors have been developed. In such read sensors, two free layers that are biased in a scissor state by a hard magnet. The read sensor may not, however, be reliable in such a conventional magnetic reader. Such reliability issues may become particularly acute at high densities and lower track widths on the order of less than or equal to twenty nanometers. For example, in such high density dual free layer readers, the state in which the free layers are biased may be unpredictable. Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for improving the performance of a magnetic recording read transducer.